Orthodox Thought for the Day

Wednesday, December 28, 2016

A Goal Made Easy by Love

The
Serbian Orthodox celebrate the Feast of our Lord’s Nativity on January 7.
This leaves us just a few days to gather resources to bless our brethren for
the upcoming Feast in Kosovo.

So
far, God has moved the hearts of sensitive individuals to give $4,000 toward
this goal.We pray even more of you will
be moved toward generosity before year end. The window of time to
accomplish this is narrowing.

I
wish you could’ve visited the brethren of Kosovo with me last month. Had you
been there in person and experienced the conditions as I did, I know the
response to this request would be quick and abundant!

The
existing Christian oppression in Kosovo is due to the steadfastness of the
Serbians’ Orthodox Faith in the land of their ancestors. At its core, these
Serbs are persecuted because of their Faith. Theirs is a continued life
of significant hardship.Please, would
you bolster both their faith and their physical ability to stand firm with a
generous gift this week? The Orthodox of Kosovo are prayerful their plight
will not be overlooked by their Christian brothers & sisters this
season.

Right
now, the situation is acute in the region (brutal cold temps—firewood & food
needed).The Decani Monastery Relief Fund is ready to respond with whatever
resources God sends our way.All donations
we receive go to relieve existing hardships.And, at this season, we seek to provide a Christmas meal (pork roast) for
families with insufficient resources.These
families routinely go without meat for months on end.Children ask, “Will there be meat at Nativity?”

This
is what I know to be true. Help someone for Christ’s sake and God will help you
(in ways He knows best). And not only does He help the person who
benefits others, but will also bestow a bountiful reward (in His
kingdom). Why do we wait or withhold our assistance? We are,
(for now at least), stewards of God’s bounty in this life. God love and keep each of you moved in
heart!

Here
are the existing needs.Will
youhelp us meet them by December 31?A gift of any amount is much
appreciated:

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When, on a clear autumn night, I gaze at the clear sky - sown with numberless stars, so diverse in size yet shedding a single light - then I say to myself: 'Such are the writings of the Fathers!' When, on a summer day, I gaze at the vast sea - covered with a multitude of diverse vessels with their unfurled sails like white swan's wings, vessels racing under a single wind to a single goal, to a single harbor - I say to myself: 'Such are the writings of the Fathers!' When I hear an harmonious, many-voiced choir, in which diverse voices - in elegant harmony - sing a single Divine song, then I say to myself: 'Such are the writings of the Fathers! St. Ignatius Brianchaninov